Geographic and Governmental Profile of Sao Tome and Principe

Background

Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and two failed coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to attract increased attention to the small island nation.

Location

Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous

Country name

conventional long form:

Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

conventional short form:

Sao Tome and Principe

local long form:

Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

local short form:

Sao Tome e Principe

Government type

republic

Capital

name:

Sao Tome

geographic coordinates:

0 20 N, 6 44 E

time difference:

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome

Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995

Independence

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Constitution

approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law base on the Portuguese model and customary law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:

President Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (since 3 September 2011)

head of government:

Prime Minister Patrice Emery TROVOADA (since 14 August 2010)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

elections:

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 July and 7 August 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly); Constitutional Court (five judges appointed by the National Assembly for five year terms); Court of First Instance; Audit Court

Political parties and leaders

Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Patrice TROVOADA]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description

three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands

Data source 1: All Above textual data, maps and flags were extracted from The World Factbook which was prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency and made available on the following link: The World Factbook. Lebanese Economy Forum is not sponsered or affiliated, in any way, by the US Central Intelligence Agency

Data source 2: Plots and Charts are constructed using the world bank public data catalog which can be viewed by visiting the following link: World Bank Data Catalog. Lebanese Economy Forum is not sponsored or affiliated, in any way, by the worldbank